McKinley’s friends to hold vigil Saturday night

Friends of the Broncos wide receiver who died earlier this week from a self-inflicted gunshot wound have organized a memorial/candlelight vigil at McKinley’s alma mater, South Cobb High School, in suburban Atlanta. The principal of the school is giving alumni access to the school’s Clay Stadium tonight, starting at 8 p.m. EST.

The South Cobb High football booster club has reached out to the McKinley family, but the school is waiting until after McKinley’s funeral on Monday to make plans for a formal tribute. The school will likely retire McKinley’s No. 11 jersey.

McKinley started 40 consecutive games at quarterback at South Cobb from 2001-2004.

The University of South Carolina, where McKinley played from 2005-2008 and is the school’s leading receiver, is honoring McKinley with No. 11 decals on their helmets during tonight’s game at Auburn. Though the student government association at USC voted this week to retire McKinley’s jersey, that official process would take time and have to go through other channels.

The Broncos will observe a moment of silence Sunday before kickoff at Invesco Field at Mile High. The team will also wear the No. 11 decals (white, with navy numbers) on the helmets.

Mike Klis has been with The Denver Post since 1998, after working 13 years with the Colorado Springs Gazette Telegraph. Major League Baseball was Klis' initial passion. He started covering the Colorado Rockies after Coors Field was approved for construction in August 1990.

Nicki Jhabvala is the Sports Digital News Editor for The Denver Post. Before arriving in Denver, she spent five years at Sports Illustrated working primarily as its online NBA editor, and she was most recently the overnight home page editor at the New York Times. She has reported regularly on the Broncos since joining the staff.

A published author and award-winning journalist, Benjamin Hochman is a sports columnist for The Denver Post. He previously worked on the staff of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, winners of two Pulitzer Prizes for their Hurricane Katrina coverage.